Guinta easily beats primary challengers in congressional race

Wednesday

Sep 12, 2012 at 3:15 AM

MANCHESTER — Freshman Congressman Frank Guinta easily trumped his opponents in the Republican primary Tuesday night, teeing up a rematch between the former Manchester mayor and Democrat Carol Shea Porter in the general election.

Two Republicans challenged Guinta Tuesday in the Republican primary for New Hampshire's First Congressional District seat: Rick Parent, a Wolfeboro resident and member of the Lakes Region Tea Party; and Vernon "Vern" Clough, a registered nurse from Dover.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Guinta said primary voters sent a "strong message" that they want representation in Washington from someone who understands job creation. Guinta pointed to a record of support for "nearly 30 bipartisan small business jobs bills."

"I appreciate the hard work my opponents put into their races and look forward to working with them in the coming weeks," Guinta said in the prepared statement. "Together, as Granite Staters, we will ensure we do not go back to the days of former Congresswoman Shea Porter's Pelosi agenda of wasteful stimulus spending and job-killing tax increases on small businesses and middle-class working families."

Guinta, the former mayor of Manchester, rode a Republican surge in 2010 to beat Shea Porter, who served two terms in office before she was ousted in the election.

Guinta has positioned himself as a conservative who opposes big government and large federal initiatives, such as stimulus funding and national health care reform. He has sought to appeal to the business community and pledges to cut government spending.

As of 9:49 p.m. Tuesday, Guinta was carrying 85 percent of the vote, with 23,229 ballots in his favor. Parent received 13 percent of the vote, and Clough won about 3 percent.

Guinta and Shea Porter will now square off in the Nov. 6 general election.